Kanhangad: The Ernakulam CBI court will deliver its verdict on December 28 in the case of the murder of Youth Congress workers Sarathlal and Kripesh of Kalliyode, Periya. There are 24 accused in the case, including former MLA and CPM Kasaragod district secretariat member K.V. Kunhiraman, Kanhangad Block Panchayat President and former Uduma area secretary of CPM K. Manikandan, former Periya local secretary N. Balakrishnan, and former Pakkam local secretary Raghavan Velutholli.

The first accused in the case is former local committee member A. Peethambaran. The Crime Branch arrested 14 persons, including Peethambaran, and the CBI arrested 10 persons, including K.V. Kunhiraman.

The crime occurred on February 17, 2019. Initially, the case was investigated by a special team of the local police, and the case was later handed over to the Crime Branch. Disappointed and dejected over the sloppy investigation of the state police, the parents of Sarathlal and Kripesh approached the High Court requesting a CBI investigation. As a result, the High Court cancelled the Crime Branch’s charge sheet and ordered a CBI probe. However, the Division Bench of the High Court upheld the single bench’s decision to continue the CBI investigation and retained the Crime Branch’s charge sheet.

The state government then approached the Supreme Court, where the verdict favored the victims again, leading to a CBI investigation. The CBI team, led by DySP Ananthakrishnan, carried out the probe. Initially, 14 people were arrested, including K. Manikandan, N. Balakrishnan, and Alakode Mani, who were granted bail. The remaining 11 accused are currently in Viyyur Central Jail.

Among the 10 people arrested by the CBI, five, including K.V. Kunhiraman and Raghavan Velutholli, were granted bail. The remaining five, including P. Rajesh, the former CPM branch secretary of Echiladukkam, are in Kakkanad Jail. The trial in the CBI court began in February 2023. Former KPCC Vice President and criminal lawyer C.K. Sreedharan, who later switched sides and joined CPM, is representing the accused.